Technical Field
The invention relates to a method and a system for automatically forming packaging boxes and packaging at least one article therein, preferably simultaneously with the formation of said packaging boxes.
Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,231 discloses a method relating to wrap-around packaging wherein discrete articles, such as books, are deposited upon carton blanks which are wrapped about the articles to surround all sides of the articles. Articles of different sizes such as different pack sizes of books, are wrapped with a carton formed from a blank in a continuous manner in which a standard size blank is custom trimmed to a size related to the pack size and wherein slotting and scoring means are adjusted to form the blank so that it wraps neatly about the book packs. Information on sizing from previous orders of book packs is stored and used by a controller to produce a pre-sized and pre-formed flat blank which is identical to the said previous orders. At a wrap-around station, the book packs are seated on a bottom panel of the flat customized blank, and the book packs and the blank are pushed downward forcing the carton blank through former guides to turn up end and side flaps. Next, the book packs and the partially erected box are fed horizontally to a former station where a top panel is bent over the book packs and the wrap-around packaging is finally finished by e.g., wrapping tape around the carton. Although the controller operates automatically it is the operator of the apparatus who identifies the pack size for the books and thus the operation of the apparatus is prone to human error. With the increasing availability of merchandise, products and other items through on-line retailers recent years have shown an ever increasing purchasing behavior of customers leading to an increase in parcel sending and leading to a need for packaging a huge variety of products of all kinds of shapes with a large capacity without human intervention.
DE 196 36 262 A1 and EP 0 983 940 A1 disclose methods for folding pre-sized blanks.